Interview with thriller author Suzanne Seddon

Novelist Suzanne Seddon joins me today to chat a little about her new crime thriller, A Fool’s Circle.

During her virtual book tour, Suzanne will be giving away a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Suzanne Seddon was born in 1968 in Islington, London. After leaving school she had many interesting jobs, from swimming teacher to air hostess, and was able to travel the globe. Now a single mum to her teenage daughter Poppy-willow, Suzanne spends her days writing and has written several articles for magazines and newspapers.

Growing up, Suzanne witnessed mental and physical abuse within her own family which strongly influenced her when she wrote her first play, A Fool’s Circle, when she attended the famous Anna Scher Theatre. Suzanne, however, was not content to leave it there and decided to go ahead and transform her play into a novel.

Not one to shy away from exciting challenges, she also wrote, acted, directed, cast and produced a trailer for the book around her hometown in Islington with the support of local businesses, who recognised the drive and importance of Suzanne and her work.

Suzanne is a passionate writer and she is determined to be heard so that the issue of domestic abuse is raised amongst the public's consciousness, empowering others to speak out. She wants those who suffer at the hands of another to have their voices heard, loud and clear.

Please share a little bit about your current release.

Kate Saunders has suffered many years of physical and mental abuse at the hands of her controlling husband, Alan, and convinces herself that she is only holding the family together for the sake of her eight-year-old daughter. If it wasn’t for her best friend Jill Reynolds, she’d have taken the suicide option a long time ago.

As she desperately seeks a way to escape, she is contacted by a solicitor. Kate’s old Aunt has died and she has been left a small fortune. 

For the first time she sees the light at the end of the tunnel. She dreams of a fresh start, a new home, a new life.

What Kate doesn’t know is that Jill and Alan have their own secrets, and are both desperate to get their hands on her money.

Kate soon finds herself falling for the charms of Jonathan Jacobs in what she believes to be fate finally intervening and offering her a second chance, unaware that each move he makes has been directed, orchestrated and well-rehearsed as he begs her to leave her husband Alan. 

But is it all too late, as she finds herself in the frame for murder?

Excerpt from A Fool’s Circle:
‘Mummy! Please wake up! Mummy! Please wake up please, Mummy, Mummy.’

Kate woke up with a start and as she looked at her daughter standing in front of her she could see the fear in her eyes as the smoke thickened from Alan’s side of the bed.

‘Mummy, Mummy, what’s wrong with Daddy? Why is he making that funny noise?’

She listened to the weird noise from the creature next to her. Kate screamed at him to wake up as she got up out of bed, and ushered Sophie out of the bedroom.

‘Alan, wake up. Alan, the room is on fire! Wake up will you, Alan!’

Kate could see by the look on his face as he opened his eyes, he had no idea what was going on, still half pissed. As the proverbial penny finally dropped, he was up out of bed and on his feet.

Kate coughed hard as she got Sophie out of the bedroom. She guided her downstairs into the kitchen and grabbed the fire extinguisher from the cupboard. His voice boomed behind her as he entered the room.

‘Where’s the fucking fire extinguisher, woman? For fuck’s sake, hurry up! The whole place will burn down.’

She almost threw it at him. Watching him fly back out of the kitchen and up the stairs, she turned her attention to her daughter.

‘Are you okay Sophie? Talk to me, is your throat sore?’

Sophie was traumatised. She coughed a few times as Kate, worried, stared at her daughter’s face. Sophie started to cry.

What inspired you to write this book?

To be honest, writing a book was never the plan. I wrote A Fool’s Circle as a play first. Then, after finding the script a few year’s later in the back of a draw, I decided to write it as a feature film. I went as far as making a film trailer. Whilst the trailer was in edit, my mother sadly passed away and I was a single parent with no support network. It was my mother’s dream to write a book. So, I decided to change direction and write it as a novel.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I don’t know if I’m quite finished with A Fool’s Circle. I still have a few good ideas where I can take the story next. Although one day I would really like to write an Autobiography, but that’s a long way off.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I don’t often consider myself a writer, funnily enough. I just really enjoy writing. Also, I enjoyed the transition from script writing to novel writing fascinating. The two are so different and I really learned a lot from that.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I don’t write full time, although I did whilst writing A Fool’s Circle. I spent over two years putting it together. It was manic and full on. I’m now just getting ideas together for my next book. My daughter is now a teenager so I have a bit more time on my hands to write. But I usually do that after she has gone to bed.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I don’t have spreadsheets for characters. I listen to them speaking in my head and often find myself asking them questions. I suppose that sounds a bit crazy, but I often find myself asking one of the characters: ‘What are you going to do now?’ I can see them as plain as day. I have to keep a pen and paper by the side of my bed also. I never know when they are going to catch me out and lead the story.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I was very sporty as a child. So, I wanted to do something in that field. When I left school, I became a lifeguard. Then, when I was twenty-one, I became a qualified swimming teacher.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I would be really interested to know, who they thought was the best character in A Fool’s Circle and why?

Links:

Wallace Publishing | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Facebook

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